‘The Flash’ Casts Greg Finley as Tony Woodward AKA Girder

Attedees who saw the pilot episode of The CW’s upcoming Arrow spinoff The Flash at San Diego Comic-Con this year may have joined us in feeling disappointed by Barry Allen’s first super-powered enemy: a version of the Weather Wizard from the comic books, who gains the power to control the weather during the particle accelerator disaster at S.T.A.R. Labs. In Screen Rant’s review of the pilot, we found Weather Wizard to be the episode’s low point.

Luckily, there are plenty more villains lined up for the rest of The Flash season 1. The pilot introduced Caitlin Frost – who in the comics eventually takes on the villain alias Killer Frost – as a member of the S.T.A.R. Labs team, and also suggested that S.T.A.R. scientist Harrison Wells might know more than he’s letting on. Casting news has also revealed that upcoming villains will include Wentworth Miller as Captain Cold and Clancy Brown as General Wade Eiling.

We now have an update on one of the recurring villains that was previously announced for The Flash. Tony Woodward AKA Girder, a steel worker who bullied Barry while they were at school together, will be played by Star-Crossed actor Greg Finley, according to a report by Zap2It. In the source material, Tony Woodward becomes tough-as-nails (literally) supervillain Girder after being thrown into a vat of molten steel contaminated by S.T.A.R. Labs materials. In previous character descriptions, however, it has been implied that the TV version of Girder will be able to shift between human and metal forms at will.

Prior to playing Drake, the tough Atrian militant of Star-Crossed, Finley had a long-standing regular role on ABC’s The Secret Life of the American Teenager, and has guest-starred on House M.D. and Law and Order: SVU. He also co-starred in 2012 horror film Hypothermia with Michael Rooker.

As we reported previously, Girder is set to appear in episodes six and seven of The Flash. If the show follows the pattern already set by Arrow, then there are no doubt many more familiar faces from DC comics set to appear, and the S.T.A.R. Labs explosions opens up opportunities for all kinds of characters with superpower.

The villain-of-the-week format could end up working very well for The Flash‘s first season, but there have already been hints of what the show’s first story arc might involve. At least a showdown with Girder should allow Barry to confront one of the traumatic experiences from his childhood.

Captain Cold will be OK, but I know a couple of the ones everyone is waiting for is Mirror master and then the biggie, Professor Zoom, the Reverse-Flash. Betcha every one of you is waiting to see a super-speed battle between the Prof. and Flash! I know I am!

There is a certain amount of cheese on CW shows and this one is no different. Thank the comic powers that be that these versions of the characters will never be part of the movie universe. Why the CW? It’s just spun too much for teenagers.